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NEWS 2/4/14 6:00pm

Survey set to evaluate academic experience

By Anita Alem

The University Committee on Undergraduate Curriculum, the Office of the Registrar, the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and the Student Association collaborated during the fall semester and over winter break to create a survey that evaluates current academic policies and will lead to recommending specific updates to these policies, according to Student Association External Vice President Ravi Sheth. John Cornwell, the associate vice president of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, said feedback from undergraduate students will be sought in the decision-making process. "There's an interest in each of these groups and the constituency they represent [regarding] students dropping courses after add/drop deadline and international study-abroad credit transfers," Cornwell said. "Similarly, we'd like to know more about student experiences with transferring credit from summer school. We'd like to find out the facts and the opinions of the entire undergraduate population here."According to Sheth, the CUC has discussed these issues internally with several undergraduate representatives, including college senators and SA Academics committee chairs. Some of the changes currently under consideration include the difficulty that students have with registering for their required courses due to students who drop classes after the add/drop period. Sheth also identified transfer credit issues that undergraduate students face."With regards to transfer credit, the university needs to understand barriers to receiving transfer credit and how this process can be streamlined," Sheth said. "All of these changes need to be informed by students, and that is why the survey and student response is such an important part of this process."John Haug, a Martel College freshman, said he experienced trouble with registration this semester."The most difficulty I faced was with registering for FWIS courses, because when there are a lot of people who are not getting their first or second choice, the process becomes inefficient and frustrating," Haug said. "I also only had two classes by the time registration ended, so I ended up having to struggle with add/drop, and luckily, one of my courses added spots."According to Registrar David Tenney (Sid '87), the survey is uniquely designed to be highly specific and relevant to individual students."Instead of just sending a survey that's extremely general, [these groups are] working together and providing data so that the survey will be targeted to each student individually," Tenney said. "Each student will be able to answer questions about their specific academic history, why they could or could not get a course to transfer in, and why they have dropped courses after the add deadline. It will give students the opportunity to speak specifically, and it'll give us the opportunity to understand this at a much more relevant level."Due to the specificity of the survey and the improvements that students could see, Sheth, Tenney and Cornwell encouraged student participation."I would ask students to definitely complete the survey," said Tenney. "It's a wonderful opportunity to be heard. We're all working on this to make the survey as streamlined, [user-friendly]and as relevant as possible."According to Cornwell, the survey will be sent out at the end of this week and will be conducted for approximately two weeks. After this period, the CUC will analyze the data to identify any relevant issues and consider potential solutions. Some changes may take longer than others to implement and may lead into the fall 2014 semester.

NEWS 2/4/14 6:00pm

Rice should maintain support of diversity of beliefs and cultures

By Maha Aziz

Students may have seen us in the Fondren stacks praying. At first glance, it might look like we are reaching for a book, but then we get up again, and then back down again. Our colorful scarves swirl around in the ever-so-charming Houston wind, and our high-fived, "Salaams, bro," can be heard across the quad. Oftentimes, we can be found ducking into the cozy broom closet we affectionately call our prayer room. Chances are, almost every student has had contact with a Rice Muslim.

NEWS 1/28/14 6:00pm

HackRice successful for its third year

By Jieya Wen and Sarah Frazier

Jacob Van Geffen, a senior from Seven Lakes High School, along with Daniel Kermany and Jonathan Zong, both seniors from James E. Taylor High School, won first place at HackRice, Rice University's yearly hackathon, for their project GameCalc, which Zong called a "game-ified calculator," according to the HackRice competition website.

NEWS 1/28/14 6:00pm

News In Brief: Digital Media Commons relocating

By Dixita Viswanath

The Digital Media Commons will be relocating from Herring Hall Room 129 to Fondren Library basement this summer, and the Center for Teaching Excellence and Program for Writing and Communications will be occupying the Herring space, according to Jane Zhao, Director of the DMC.

NEWS 1/27/14 6:00pm

Men's tennis has winning weekend

By Luke Samora

The Rice University men's tennis team played two matches this weekend, shutting out the University of Texas, Arlington and Texas A&M University, Prairie View. With a 2-2 record, the team heads on the road this weekend in hopes of having a winning record for the first time this season.The match against UT Arlington had to be moved inside due to the icy conditions, so it was played at the MET instead of the Jake Hess Tennis Stadium. Even though the match was moved away from Jake Hess, the Owls still beat the Mavericks 4-0. Highlights from the game include Rice taking its first doubles point of the season. Freshman David Warren and sophomore Tommy Bennett along with junior Srikar Allar and junior Leif Berger won their respective doubles matches.Bennett said he and Warren have great chemistry, which shows on the court."It's a lot of fun playing with Warren," Bennett said. "He's a very positive, supportive partner, which is great. We are both upbeat on court, which is why I think we are working well together."Bennett said they also aspire to become one of the best men's doubles pairs in the country."We share the same ambition of becoming a high nationally-ranked pairing," Bennett said. "[Warren] is very professional on and off the court. I'm looking forward to turning these close losses into wins against big teams."Head Coach Efe Ustundag said the team showed improvement from last week's performances by making important shots when they were needed the most."The biggest issue we faced last weekend was to remain concentrated and focused throughout the entire match," Ustundag said. "Our guys stepped it up when it mattered to win their matches while keeping them from getting too close."The Owls will play No. 12 Mississippi State on Saturday and No. 53 Texas Tech University on Sunday in Lubbock. Ustundag said he expects the Owls to be ready to fight against major programs from the Southeastern Conference and the Big 12, respectively."I am expecting two tough teams without holes in their lineups, who are both coming out of a well-contested weekend," Ustundag said. "I still expect our team to play tough and make sure we continue to play united, focused and intense."Ustundag said both matches are winnable despite the challenges they present."It will come down to a few key points," Ustundag said, "If we make the right decisions play boldly and with aggression, I believe we can win both."

NEWS 1/27/14 6:00pm

RUPD arms officers with pepper spray

By Asiya Kazi

The Rice University Police Department now uses pepper spray as a nonlethal use-of-force option, according to Chief of Police Johnny Whitehead. The only nonlethal use-of-force option RUPD officers had previously was the baton. Upon noticing several incidents in which suspects resisted arrest or assaulted RUPD officers, Whitehead asked RUPD staff to research other use-of-force options.According to Whitehead, many police departments around the country have added tasers and pepper spray besides batons. After finding research that showed pepper spray reduces injuries those involved, RUPD conferred with university officials and was given permission to deploy pepper spray in October 2013, Whitehead said."In December, our officers received training in the use of OC Spray," Whitehead said. "The training included guidelines for appropriate use of OC Spray and how to treat a person exposed to OC Spray."  Now, RUPD officers carry 1.47-ounce canisters of pepper spray, which they may use to protect themselves or others from physical harm and to control resisting suspects, according to Whitehead.Martel College freshman Neethi Nayak said she thinks using pepper spray infringes on suspects' rights in some ways, but understands why it may be necessary. "If they're having a lot of trouble, if there's not an alternative, then that might be the way to go," Nayak said. "But it kind of freaks me out a little bit. It's kind of a vulnerable moment for people since it's your personal space, your body." Jones College sophomore Sameer Kini said he accepts police officers using pepper spray on an irregular basis. "If the situation warrants it, I think it's fine," Kini said. "I don't think it should be abused by the officer, the right to use pepper spray."  Whitehead said a policy called the Use of Force Continuum governs the usage of pepper spray, such that the level of force used by the officer depends on the level of resistance by the suspect."When making an arrest, officers try to gain compliance using their presence and verbal directions," Whitehead said. "If that fails, the officer may have to become physical by grabbing or pulling the suspect. If the suspect continues to resist or becomes assaultive, the officer's response may escalate to the use of a non-lethal weapon such as the baton or OC spray.""Anytime [pepper] spray is used by an officer, the incident is reviewed by a supervisor and the findings submitted to the chief of police," Whitehead said.Kini said he thinks pepper spray would be more effective than batons for officers to send a strong message to suspects. "If you're going to take down a suspect, it's going to be more painful to them to use pepper spray, and it's probably a more effective tool [than batons] if someone is out of control," Kini said.  Nayak said she thinks batons might be more effective than pepper spray in obtaining a suspect's cooperation. "If the suspect is violent, then it comes to the point where the police officer's safety is in question as well," Nayak said. "I feel like with pepper spray, you might get a more negative response from the suspect. It's more agitation. It's not just 'Listen to me!' kind of thing, it's more like 'I'm in your face right now.'"According to Whitehead, the use of pepper spray is potentially useful in situations involving more dangerous criminals. "Many of the suspects our officers encounter have no affiliation with Rice, have extensive criminal histories, are on parole or probation and have a history of assaulting officers and resisting arrests," Whitehead said. "Although it is rare that our officers have to use force beyond verbal commands or hands-on tactics [for] an arrest, the use of [pepper] spray is prudent, safe and effective."

NEWS 1/27/14 6:00pm

"Rolled and Stoned" takes Matchbox

By Allison Schaich

On Jan. 23, Rice's Matchbox Gallery opened its first show of the new semester, Rolled and Stoned. The show features lithographs and monoprints from seven Rice undergraduates: Sophie Eichner, Geraldine Franco, Gabbie Hulet, Kelly King, Claire O'Malley, Ellen Marsh and Morgan McNeel. The majority of the artists each had three prints featured, which they created using methods taught in Karin Broker's lithography and monoprinting class. The prints are very elaborate, featuring multiple layers of ink and paper, making it very clear that the artists put a lot of time and effort into carefully constructing the beautiful print

NEWS 1/27/14 6:00pm

LGBTQIPA conversation needs to occur globally

By Christian Neal

You might have heard that 2013 was a landmark year for gay rights. After all, the U.S. doubled the number of states with marriage equality, meaning that more than 37 percent of Americans live in areas with marriage equality. In addition, the Supreme Court struck down the federal Defense Of Marriage Act, which barred same-sex spouses from receiving federal benefits. Fifty-five senators have come out in favor of marriage equality, including three Republicans. Also, I would argue that the Human Rights Coalition's red equality symbol became the most viral Facebook campaign of all time.While the Human Rights Coalition has called 2013 "the year of greatest accomplishments for the LGBT movement," I would argue that 2013 has been the worst year for equality in recent history. Although social opinions have become much more open and accepting in the U.S., the world as a whole took regressive measures against LGBTQIPA citizens.  In June 2013, Russia passed an anti-propaganda law which, according to BBC News, effectively banned public gay rights events in Russia. The reasoning for the law was to protect children from pedophilia, a dangerous homosexual stereotype. Since the law was passed, reports of attacks on homosexuals has increased dramatically in Russia. With the Sochi Olympics coming up, many of you have probably heard or read about these new laws. Many Western nations are sending openly homosexual athletes as delegates to the games in protest of LGBTQIPA rights (or lack thereof) in Russia.  An even more regressive decision for this movement came from India's Supreme Court. A 2009 lower court decision had decriminalized homosexual activity in India, but the Supreme Court overturned this decision in December 2013. According to CNN, the law will increase harassment of homosexuals by police and could increase arrests as well. In any case, India's LGBTQIPA population has been dehumanized by this decision and is subject to more discrimination than before the decriminalization was repealed.In May 2013, Nigeria's legislature passed a same-sex prohibition bill that, if signed by their president, would criminalize same-sex civil unions and gay rights organizations. This law would prohibit these activities nationally, but several northern Nigerian provinces already have strict laws against homosexuality.The state of LGBTQIPA affairs internationally may seem daunting, but we can take small actions to raise awareness about these issues. Awareness can go a long way: Nigeria's president has not signed the same-sex prohibition bill because of pressure from Western countries who send economic and military aid to Nigeria. If you would like to raise awareness about these important issues, join us as we observe a Day of Silence on the opening day of the Sochi Olympics (Feb. 7), as an act of solidarity for the LGBTQIPA citizens of the 76 countries worldwide who must be silent about their sexual orientation or risk imprisonment and even death. To learn more, join our facebook event "Day of Silence and Solidarity." Of course, those required to speak for academic purposes, a job, etc. are welcome to participate to the best of their ability. Help start a global conversation about LGBTQIPA rights. We have already turned the tide in America. Let's turn our focus to the voiceless around the world.  Christian Neal  is a Lovett College senior.

NEWS 1/27/14 6:00pm

Women's tennis prepares for No. 1 Stanford

By Julie Doar

The Rice University women's tennis team went 1-1 this past weekend, beating Florida State University 4-3 and losing to the University of Texas, Austin 4-1 at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association kickoff. Rice is now ranked No. 22 with a 2-1 record.The Owls pulled off a close win against No. 24-ranked FSU thanks to junior Natalie Beazant and senior Dominique Harmath winning third-set tiebreakers.Head Coach Elizabeth Schmidt said the win against FSU was hard-fought and the team never stopped playing."This was a gritty team victory," Schmidt said. "We had great efforts on all six singles lines. They each fought their hearts out all day."Schmidt said the No. 17 Longhorns posed a greater challenge to the Owls. She said the loss could be attributed to a slow start and inability to maintain consistent momentum, rather than any lack of work or determination."We didn't lose this match because of a lack of fight," Schmidt said. "We shook off a slow start in doubles and came out strong in singles. The match was a series of momentum shifts all afternoon. It all came down to a couple of points at the end. But by the same token, you have to give credit to Texas. They fought just as hard, and they pulled out those matches at the end."Beazant said she needs to adjust to the new scoring rules that quicken the pace of doubles. She said the team needs to adjust to this faster pace."I don't know how I feel about the no warm-up rule before singles, because it's quite the bit of a rush," Beazant said. "I guess we'll get used to it. It's just one of those things you've got to adjust to. It's definitely different."This weekend is shaping up to be filled with highly competitive play for the Owls. After facing No. 65 Louisiana State University on Friday, Rice will play Stanford University, the No. 1 team in the ITA polls and the defending NCAA champion, on Saturday, Feb. 1.Beazant said the team is trying to achieve a level of consistency. She said the Owls are looking forward to continuing their strong start to the season. To that end, Beazant said they need to keep up with their preparation before matches."[We're] making sure we keep match fit," Beazant said. 

NEWS 1/27/14 6:00pm

Honor Council seeks Article XII repeal

By Sofi Hebert

Honor Council Chair Adriana Bracho and Jones College Senator Clinton Willbanks introduced a referendum proposal for an amendment to Honor Council's Constitutional at the Jan. 27 Student Senate meeting.The amendment calls for the repeal of Article XII Section 1 and Article XXI, which provide that within three days of the investigative meeting, students who face an Honor Code violation can opt to receive a "W" for the course and withdraw from Rice for two semesters instead of continuing with the hearing with the understanding that the accusation would then not be pursued upon the student's return. According to Bracho, however, revisions in how the policy works alters the consequences for students who take Article XII."There's been a recent change in the way that the Registrar handles this withdrawal process that is making it very detrimental to the student," Bracho, a McMurtry College senior, said. "This past year, the Registrar has decided to change the ['W'] to an 'XII' to reflect Article XII and [state] on the transcript that the student withdrew for academic reasons," Bracho said.Bracho said the change, made to increase transparency, was a decision made jointly by Student Judicial Programs and the Office of the Registrar. "It was done in the interest of full disclosure to other institutions that students might be applying to," Honor Council Internal Vice-Chair Isabelle Lelogeais said. "Rice wants to be as open and honest with future graduate programs and job positions as possible."Lelogeais, a Jones College junior, said that, unlike the ambiguous meaning of a "W," an "XII" is clearly stated on the transcript to be an academic violation."It's not just an 'XII,' and other institutions look it over," Lelogeais said. "There's a note attached to it that [explains] what it means. Oftentimes, these are small violations that look worse."Bracho said that after the changes, students were often unaware of the full ramifications of their decision to forgo their hearing."What we are really concerned about is a lot of students taking Article XII thinking that they're able to get out of the violation," Barcho said. "The idea is that if you go through the Honor Council process, you wont have it on your external transcript that you were found in violation. We've been having problems because students who have taken Article XII are finding that the 'XII' is really hurting them in what they're doing."According to Bracho, Article XII is no longer necessary with the current Honor Council."Article XII was created at a time when the Honor Council was very different," Bracho said. "It used to be that we started out penalties with an F in the course and two semesters in suspension. Our approach to violations is a lot more holistic [now]."Lelogeais said that with the exception of severe violations to the Honor Code, the Honor Council has been less stringent with their punishments in recent years."The vast majority of the penalties that we issue are in the letter reduction range, [and don't indicate an Honor Code violation]," Lelogeais said. "We're not giving suspensions left and right. At the time when the council was more punitive, it made sense for students to [take Article XII and] withdraw for two semesters rather than to face what would potentially be a two-semester suspension and an F in the course."Bacho said that because the decision to take Article XII has to be made within three days of the investigative meeting, the pressure of the time limit makes it difficult for students to work their way through the process."[The three days are] a very tough time for the student," Bracho said. "It's a really big deal for them, and they're really concerned. [Article XII] used to be a way for the students to be able to take that time off from the university and nothing would go wrong, but now it just looks like a very big blunder on their part on their transcript."Bracho said the Honor Council is attempting to steer the student body in the direction of the process it believes will result in the best situation for the individual student. "We're trying to make it a protective measure because we've seen that a lot of students recently are very afraid of going through [the hearing], so they take the Article XII, and it's much worse," Bracho said. "There is not at all [an advantage] since the Registrar decided to put the 'XII.'"Brown College sophomore Amy Ryu said she does not agree with the amendment despite the intentions of the Honor Council."If it's only hurting them, but the students still choose to make that choice because they think it's better for them, then they should be allowed to make that choice," Ryu said.Jones College sophomore Jeffrey Piccirillo said he agreed with the repeal of Article XII but that perhaps there is an even better solution."I'm all for more leniency and so I agree with the amendment," Piccirillo said, "But why can't the Honor Council educate students and say, 'XII is better than what was in the past, but hold on, there are even better options now.' Tell students they have a better option than XII and then leave it up to them to make the final choice."On Feb. 10, the Student Association will vote on whether to add this proposal to the general election ballot.

NEWS 1/27/14 6:00pm

Women's swimming kicks off their spring season

By Nicki Chamberlain-Simon

The Rice University women's swimming team split a win and a loss in Arkansas this weekend, falling to the University of Arkansas on Saturday and defeating the University of Arkansas, Little Rock on Sunday. These meets were Rice's first events since facing Texas A&M University on Dec. 20.The team traveled 13 hours to Fayetteville, Ark., where they faced No. 23 Arkansas. Junior Casey Clark posted the team's only first place score, swimming a time of 1:49.98 in the 200-yard freestyle. A handful of Rice swimmers places second in their events, including junior Erin Flanigan in the 500 free (4:57.70), seniors Chelsea Fong and Karina Wlostowska who tied in the 50 free (24.13) and senior Michelle Gean in the 100 backstroke (57.64).Freshmen Marita Sailor and junior Rachel Moody also earned second-place finishes. Sailor finished second in the 200-yard butterfly (2:07.86) and 400-yard individual medley, and Moody placed second in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:04.31). In addition, the team placed second in the 4-x-100 yard relay and the 200-yard medley relay. The team ended up losing 207-86.Sophomore Cora McKenzie, who swam in the 200-medley relay, said the Owls' showing against the Razorbacks did not reflect the usual caliber of the team's swimming."We've been through some tough training the last few weeks, and in the past, we've been able to push past, this and really perform at meets," McKenzie said. "We did not compete at this high level against Arkansas, however, which is something to work on."However, the tables turned the following day after Rice won nine out of the 10 events against Little Rock. Clark, Flanigan and McKenzie provided great performances, along with senior Kim Steinhouse, who won the 100-yard freestyle and anchored the winning 200 free relay. Sophomores Taylor Armstrong and Shelly Patton also won individual events in the 500 freestyle and 100 breaststroke, respectively. Rice topped Little Rock, 127-56.Clark said the matchup was a good spirit booster before entering the toughest part of their season."Our meet against Little Rock was a rare opportunity for us to mix up some of our events and swim some different things," Clark said. "I think mixing up our events and having some fun was very good for team morale, especially in this stretch before conference."With about one month left to go until the conference meet Feb. 26-Mar. 1, the Rice women's swimming team is 3-3 in dual meets. This weekend, the season continues with the annual quad meet at the University of Houston against Louisiana State University, Tulane University and UH. Last year, the Owls came in second behind LSU, which hosted the meet.Until then, Head Coach Seth Huston said the team is focusing on polishing its performance to prepare for the tail end of the season."We're just trying to gauge where we're trying to fine tune and sharpen the team to be our best," Huston said. "We're in that stage of the season, and that's what we're really working on."

NEWS 1/27/14 6:00pm

News in Brief: Spanish Course Revisions

By Rice Thresher Staff

The professional Spanish courses cancelled for this semester will be available again in the fall, according to Dean of Humanities Nicolas Shumway and Director of the Center for the Study of Languages Rafael Salaberry. At the Jan. 27 Student Senate meeting, Lovett College President Christian Neal and Will Rice College Senator Cynthia Bau reported that Shumway and Salaberry thought the core of the cancelled courses did not meet Rice standards and are currently being revised to include an emphasis in linguistics and correct usage rather than vocabulary memorization. Interest has been expressed in connecting students with internships and other opportunities through these professional classes. For more information, visit sa.rice.edu/petitions.

NEWS 1/27/14 6:00pm

Women's basketball loses on road trip

By Michael Kidd

The Rice Owls women's basketball team embarked on a six-day road trip to North Carolina to face East Carolina University and the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. On Wednesday, Jan. 22, East Carolina defeated Rice 53-47. ECU entered the contest with a 15-2 overall record and a home winning streak of 22 straight games. Rice cut the margin to two points late in the second half but did not complete the comeback. Senior forward Jessica Kuster led the Owls with 11 points and 17 rebounds, shooting 2-14 from the field.On Saturday, Jan. 25, Rice traveled to Charlotte and lost to the 49ers 58-53. The Owls led by four at halftime but shot only 27 percent from the floor in the second half. Kuster earned her 16th double-double of the season with 27 points and 12 rebounds. Kuster is now only 14 points away from breaking the all-time Rice career scoring record of 1,851 points. After consecutive losses, the Owls have fallen to an overall record of 10-9 and 3-3 in Conference USA play.Kuster said the two road losses this past week came from mental mistakes. She said the team can make a strong run in conference if it plays at its full potential."I think that right now, we lost focus a bit and were [too content] with our [good] conference start," Kuster said. "We are a very capable team and need to get back to how we know we can play. If we do, we can definitely make a run."Junior point guard Reem Moussa said she was proud of the Owls' defensive effort despite the losses. However, she said there were problems moving the ball on the offensive end of the court."I think defensively, we did really well in both games and held the teams to 53 and 58 [points]," Moussa said. "We gave a great defensive effort, [but] our biggest problem was offensively."Head Coach Greg Williams said the Owls' defense was effective but that he was disappointed in the team's inability to score. He said the team had its chances but did not take advantage of them."We played very well defensively and held both teams under 60 in their own gyms," Williams said. "[However], we did [not] shoot the ball very well and couldn't generate a lot of offense to secure the [victories]. We knew it was going to be a challenge, and we had our chances."The Owls will play Tulane University Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 7 p.m. in Tudor Fieldhouse. Williams said the Green Wave has a high-powered offense, so the Owls will have to play better and protect their home court to win."Tulane is an established team and is second place outright with a 5-1 conference record," Williams said. "We traditionally have really great games with them. They have [a lot] of scoring options, making them one of the best offensive teams in the conference."Williams said he thinks his team will be challenged in the upcoming games on Rice's schedule, but that the Owls are ready."Every game is important and every game is a dogfight," Williams said. "We have two big challenges this week against Tulane and then Southern Miss. After that, we travel on the road to Middle Tennessee, the only undefeated conference team remaining. We are preparing heavily for these teams."Following the game against Tulane, the Owls will stay at home to play the University of Southern Mississippi on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 2 p.m. 

NEWS 1/27/14 6:00pm

Albums and Abominations

By Benjamin Huber-Rodriguez

When Beach House, a Maryland duo, first put out minimalist tracks with spacey, echoing vocals, the music community dubbed it "dream pop." That same style quickly caught on and was reinterpreted until the genre was saturated with watered-down dance music, shoegaze and everything in between. Luckily, Warpaint has emerged from the late 2000's dream pop swamp with new music that is simultaneously subtle and powerful while placing the listener exactly where the genre intended: in a dreamlike trance that moves and sways with the dips and turnsof the album.  Warpaint is a four-piece all girl band from Los Angeles who found a deal with notable indie label Rough Trade after their music was discovered on MySpace. Warpaint is the group's second full-length album, a follow-up to 2010's The Fool. While the sonics have changed little since that record, early 2014 seems an ideal time to inject some oscillating, waltzing balladry after last autumn's run of big rock records (Arcade Fire, Arctic Monkeys, etc.). Intro track "Keeping it Healthy" begins with a beautiful guitar arpeggio over a 7/8 rhythm that seems to be constantly building to some explosion, only to fall back to a snare and toms marching beat behind spacey falsettos and punctuating bass notes. Many tracks on the album tiptoe the fine line between excellent, complex arrangements and going for too much. However, more often than not, the band succeeds. On "Feeling Right," a jagged, Radiohead-esque high hat pattern plays around with a bouncing bass line and spacey, interplaying guitars that fill the song from either side of the stereo production, while the vocals sit atop the symmetrical structure with a chorus of echoes before the drums finally break the peace for the song's final 20 seconds. When the band diverges from the quite flexible formula of intricate arrangements and interesting, rhythmic drum patterns, the results are mixed. "Teese" succeeds as a bare-minimalist strummer that skims along a pond surface but never breaks through. But on "Disco/Very," the dancefloor backbeat and overproduced, pop-style vocals are both grating and an unwelcome break in the halcyon atmosphere created by the album.  As a whole, the lyrics of the record fit the music well but fail to describe anything interesting. The journey taken on "Keep It Healthy" aligns with the song's wandering pace. Warpaint is highly visual, with each track transporting the listener to various nighttime scenes that tell more of a story than the words ever could. The band plays to their strength, producnig detailed, layered pieces that turn the listener's head around with each listen, and in doing so, eclipse any preconceived notions about what their band is supposed to be or sound like. So what do they sound like? That depends entirely on one's own imagination. 

NEWS 1/27/14 6:00pm

RES, Catalyst apply for blanket tax funds

By Tina Nazerian

Two organizations, the Rice Catalyst and the Rice Environmental Society, have requested a blanket tax for the 2014-2015 academic year, according to Student Center Director Kate Abad. Blanket Tax Standing Committee Chair Michael Pan said a blanket tax is money students pay to Rice in order to fund organizations that serve the student body in various aspects. Pan, the Student Association treasurer, said organizations that want to apply to be blanket tax organizations need to fill out an application which the committee reviews and recommends to the Student Association Senate. The Senate then discusses and votes to put the recommendation on the general elections ballot by Feb. 3. "As for the existing blanket tax organizations, we just review their current budget and actual spendings to make sure they are spending money in accordance to their missions statement and for the greater good of the student body," Pan, a Will Rice College junior, said.  Rice Environmental SocietyRES co-president Alex Nunez-Thompson said the club intends to unify Rice's environmental and sustainability organizations under a common identity."While it does not take any power away from any of its member organizations which can request funds, Rice Bikes, the Rice EcoReps, Rice Endowment for Sustainable Energy Technology, Rice Environmental Club, Rice Student Volunteer Program Environmental Committee, Real Food Revolution and the Student Association Environmental Committee, it allows them to act as a unified front for promoting environmentalism on campus," Nunez-Thompson, a Sid Richardson College sophomore, said. RES is asking for the same amount of money the Rice Endowment for Sustainable Energy Technology received, RES co-president Michael Donatti said. Last year, RESET lost both its status as a blanket tax organization and its funding from the student body because a clause in its founding documents required it be approved by referendum after three years and it fell short by 13 votes, receiving 65.46% of the votes when it needed 66.67% in the general elections."RES has applied for $9 per student, which amounts to over $34,000 per year," Donatti, a Duncan College sophomore, said. "This amount will cover the same types of projects that RESET covered and more."According to Nunez-Thompson, RESET focused purely on sustainable energy technology, and projects under it needed to have a return on the cost investment, whereas RES projects do not."Projects pioneered by groups like Real Food Revolution would never receive funding [under RESET]," Nunez-Thompson said. "The Constitution for RES intentionally allows more groups to apply for funding. We want Rice to be a more environmentally-friendly place, even if this goal is hard to achieve."According to Donatti, the blanket tax funding will allow RES to sponsor student and club driven sustainability projects, as well as be flexible with students."Anyone can apply [to RES] for [funds from 90% of the $34000]," Donatti said. "10% will go directly to the environment under groups, and theoretically, a student can apply though those groups for part of the 10%."Donatti said because RES has many member organizations, its blanket tax funding will reach a larger audience with more ideas for sustainability. "Rice students are passionate and engaged, always eager to innovate in progress," Donatti said. "An RES blanket tax will put Rice's sustainability in our hands more than ever before. It will show our peers that we at Rice are serious about helping the Earth."Hanszen College sophomore Ben Foust said while he approves funding for well-planned programs, RES should concentrate on doing things differently than previous similar organizations that have lost funding."I'm not entirely sure how I feel about blanket taxes in general, as not all those who pay them appreciate or make use of the services they provide," Foust said. "But that is a very complicated issue." CatalystCatalyst co-editor-in-chief Amber Mirajkar said the annually published international undergraduate journal, which began in 2008, was built upon the resolution to showcase student research and views about science, medicine and engineering, and welcomes contributions from all majors."Catalyst hosts the annual TEDxRiceU, bringing in speakers from all departments in Rice University and the Texas Medical Center," Mirajkar, a Duncan senior, said. "The event is open to Rice students and the Houston community. Two years ago, we even arranged for high school students to attend. [Additionally], Discoveries, our online blog, gives students another vector to practice technical writing, discuss their research and spread their ideas."According to Catalyst co-editor-in-chief Julia Zhao, people have raised concerns on how Catalyst is specialized to a subset of the population."We disagree; many of our articles are what would colloquially be deemed 'popular science,'" Zhao, a Lovett College junior, said. "We tailor a majority of the writing to the average reader, not necessarily those that are scientifically inclined."Mirajkar said Catalyst initially asked for $2, but agreed to decrease it to $1 after meeting with the committee. The money would cover publication and TEDxRiceU costs, in addition to helping both on and off campus readership grow, she said. "The money would [also] cover purchasing special design suites to improve our designing capabilities, advertising on campus to attract more applicants and let the campus know about our events, holding a publication party, holding a retreat, revamping our website and blog, and hopefully, one day having both a spring and fall issue," Mirajkar said.Mirajkar said Catalyst might not be able to publish this year because of fast filling boba sale slots, and that eliminating the uncertainty of this fundraising method would enable the staff to focus on making the publication longer, as well as a chance to explore other opportunities they have not been able to pursue. "We were beat out by other organizations," Mirajkar said. "Now that it is a well-known fact that boba sales are guaranteed to bring a profit, it will continue to be difficult to hold one at the only spot on campus we are allowed, the lobby of the RMC."Wiess College sophomore Benjamin Laun said he thinks it is unfair for a club to tax the student body, regardless of whether or not it represents student interests."$9 isn't a lot of money for me, but there are students for whom, forgive the cliche, every penny counts," Laun said. "If [RES] exists only as a naming formality for existing organizations, then $34,000 seems like an absurd amount. Catalyst, on the other hand, seems worthy of its $1 tax; I'd even pay more. If RES is going to do things that will make a tangible and positive difference in my life as a student, then I'm more than willing to pay it."Duncan freshman Michelle Won said she thinks each organization has its own reasons for applying for financial support."I trust that the organizations have spent a lot of time securing a budget to attain future goals, and I'm happy to support them because I know we all will benefit from what they're doing," Won said.

NEWS 1/27/14 6:00pm

Honor Council referendum allows for fair punishments

By Rice Thresher Staff

The Thresher supports the referendum on the SA general election ballot to remove Article XII, Section 1 from the Constitution of the Honor System, (see story, p. 1). As it currently stands, this article serves as a get-out-of-jail-free card, allowing students to withdraw from Rice for two semesters after being accused of an Honor Code violation while avoiding further investigation and potentially stricter punishment. If a student commits a violation warranting a punishment stricter than a two-semester suspension, he or she should receive that sentence. 

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